Cecilia's Mate Read online

  Evernight Publishing ®

  www.evernightpublishing.com

  Copyright© 2015 April Zyon

  ISBN: 978-1-77233-553-8

  Cover Artist: Jay Aheer

  Editor: Jessica Ruth

  ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

  WARNING: The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. No part of this book may be used or reproduced electronically or in print without written permission, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in reviews.

  This is a work of fiction. All names, characters, and places are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

  DEDICATION

  To Jessica, thank you for giving me such fabulous advise and making this book so much better.

  To Karen, thank you for being there for me and being my beta reader.

  To Moira, thank you for reminding me to believe in myself.

  CECILIA’S MATE

  Space Wars, 3

  April Zyon

  Copyright © 2015

  Chapter One

  She looked at the vid diary again and felt ill. She couldn’t believe that her mother and sisters were as cruel and horrid as they were. Then again, they were always out only for themselves. She once again watched the video her mother had recorded. Cece viewed the way her mother moved, wincing as she saw the male flinch with pain as her mother scored his body with her fingernails.

  “We have once more thrown the miserable bitch to the curb. I can’t believe she still thinks that my lovely daughters are her friends. As if. She’s a wretch and she’s so undeserving.” Mother leaned in and kissed the man that she was riding, the crop in her hand. “Isn’t that right, darling?”

  The male in question moaned around the ball gag in his mouth. It was obvious that her mother was talking about Sadie. The man beneath her was the one who had been engaged to Sadie. By the stars, how could her mother do this? Cece bit her lip when the crop hit the man’s chest. “But you are soon going to marry that little bitch, ensure that all of her family’s fortunes are yours, and then we will make sure that she’s gone. She will die. The fact that she will be fucking you has me angry. But, I will share.” She dropped the whip, bracing her hands on the man’s chest as she moved up and down on him. “My husband has always been lackluster in bed and can’t compare to anything we do together. Bastard isn’t even the father to my dear girls and doesn’t realize it. Idiot.” She rode him harder. “I don’t care, though. I have his money. That’s all that matters. Now, I’m going to release the inflation on the butt plug that’s up inside of you and then you can come. Do you understand me?” At his nod the video went blank.

  She had everything that she’d found hidden in her family’s home. She couldn’t believe her mother had recorded herself having sex with this man, but then again her mother was very taken with herself and loved to watch recordings of her every single chance that she could. Heavens, the woman even kept a vid diary instead of writing it out. The vid diary Cece had stumbled across wasn’t the only such incriminating information she had found. When she finally had everything, Cece placed a private call to her brother, Bracken, and told him she needed to see him. Not only had the vid diaries contained the complete details of how her mother and father had milked the Kauller girls’ funds for every credit possible but also how they were going to ensure Cece married who they said so they could continue with that control. They had even used poor Sadie.

  However, one of her other sister’s paramours worked for the marshal’s office and sadly had decided that there was a great deal of money to be made in war, in restarting the already simmering tensions between the Craegin and Imarian. His family owned several of the companies that would be used to build the weapons of war, so it was with her mother and father’s help he’d decided do it. Cece didn’t know how they were going to do it. Her mother didn’t share that part, which was odd since her mother so very much loved to watch and hear herself.

  Hiding the recordings in the lining of her gown, Cece leaned back against the padded seat and closed her eyes. Oddly enough her mind went to the one man in the entire universe that made her ache with need. She was thinking of her brother’s right-hand man, Draven.

  Cece knew just who and what he was to her. He was her bond mate, the man that was destined to be hers. Too bad he didn’t see her as anything other than his boss’ baby sister. She would deal with it, though. She was only twenty-two years old and knew there was so much to life she hadn’t yet experienced.

  Taking a deep breath and turning to the sketch pad before her, Cece found her calming center. Choosing the colors with care, she began to once again draw the man that had captured her heart and attention.

  She heard the scratching at the end of the hall and knew one of her sisters was on the way to her room. Quickly she shoved the art pad and pencils under the bed and put her glasses back on. Having long since outgrown the need for glasses, thanks to a medical procedure, she kept them because it was good camouflage. They felt she was inferior and she was perfectly happy to allow them to continue to think that. She refused to let anyone except Bracken see the real her.

  Her eldest sister walked into the room. Didn’t knock, simply strode in as if it were her room. “Hello, Silly.” Cecilia winced when her sister called her that. She hated that nickname, desperately. “So Mother has arranged a marriage for you. I figured that I would take you to the local male whores so you can at least go into the marriage experienced.”

  “What?” Cecilia felt the blood running from her face. Her stomach lurched and she felt dizzy. Even her vision went a bit gray around the edges at this proclamation.

  “That’s right.” She watched her sister sit down and lean back in the chair. “Tomorrow, Silly, I’m taking you to the whore house. Mother might even come along.”

  Oh God she was going to be sick. Her mother was a sadist and would do anything in order to make Cecilia hurt. She tried to make sure everyone around her hurt, especially the lovers that she loved to video herself beating. “And has Father signed off on this marriage?”

  “Oh you know he doesn’t have any say in anything. He’s such a limp dick bastard. He only gets hard when he’s with other men.” Her sister’s words shocked Cecilia and had her eyes widening, but her sister continued. “That’s why he’s always gone. He lives with his male lover. The only crick might be that bastard Bracken, but with him trying to deal with that idiot bride of his, we can get this over and done with as soon as possible. You see, he’s buying you.” She looked down her nose at Cecilia. “It’s the only way you will be able to find a husband. I mean, really, look at you.” She snorted. “You are ugly. You have this nasty red hair.” She rolled her eyes, and Cece watched as she tugged on her own perfect brown locks. “And you wear glasses. How many Craegin women wear those? And then when you add to it that you want nothing to do with sex? No male will want you, so we sold you to a man who is willing to have you for show, and you will accept his attentions so that he can live his love life as he truly wishes.” She smiled devilishly. “He’s going to be my lover and the father of my babies. He’s ever so handsome and cruel. Oh you are going to love that.” Her sister twisted slightly, then added, “My husband-to-be won’t have a thing to say about it, either. After all, he’s our father’s lover so…” She shrugged. “Keeping it all in the family, you know.”

  Bile rose in her throat. Her dizziness increased and a cold sweat broke out over her whole body from her sister’s words. This was insane. Surely she came from an orphanage or something because she was nothing at all like this woman, or her other sisters, and definitely not like her mother, who loved to dominate men.

  “So be ready tomorrow at three, Silly. I�
��m taking you to get your cherry popped.” Her sister winked and rose. Brushing her hands down her immaculate and expensive gown, she added, “Oh, and do wash your hands and get rid of those silly crayons you use. You are twenty-two now, not two. Why Mother allowed you to continue to play with crayons, I will never know.” With that her eldest sister flounced out of the room.

  She stared at the door. This simply wasn’t possible. She couldn’t do this. She would never do this. With a shaky hand she packed her art supplies, her sketch pads filled with images of Draven, and of her brother and new sister-in-law, and climbed out of her bedroom window. Dropping the case to the ground, she jumped to the tree and caught the branch that was the thickest one closest to her window, the one she had used all her life when she wanted to escape the confines of her home.

  Cece’s grip slipped as she worked her way down from where she was so precariously situated. She scrambled to find purchase but because of her nervous fear she misjudged the limb she was to grab next and dropped down a couple of meters before she finally was able to get a tight grasp. She finally made it down with only a few deep scratches and a couple of gouges. Grabbing her case, she raced off toward her brother’s new home. If she was good with her timing, his men that were moving him and Sadie today would be gone and she wouldn’t need to endure another moment of Draven ignoring her. She could handle just about anything, but him turning his back to her time and again was something she just couldn’t accept.

  Chapter Two

  Slowly rubbing a thumb to the scar that rode his jawline from left ear to midway along the right side, Draven watched Bracken and his wife, Sadie. The two were deep in discussion. One that his colonel didn’t appear to be enjoying. Sharing a look with one of the lieutenants sitting nearby, he almost snorted when the younger man rolled his eyes.

  Pretty much how he was feeling about the situation. Not that he was about to stick his nose in between those two. He liked Sadie. She was good for Bracken. For a long time he’d worried for his colleague and friend. Bracken had been so angry for much too long. But the moment Sadie had come back into his life he’d begun to calm. He still had a quick temper on him but he didn’t stay angry for very long. His wife wouldn’t let him.

  Finally the two of them seemed to get on the same wavelength and Bracken waved him over. Shooting Sadie a wink, he faced the colonel. “So she talked you into whatever she wanted you to do, I take it.”

  “Shut up, Draven,” Bracken muttered.

  He was taking that as a yes given Sadie’s satisfied smirk. “Yes, sir. Now, what else needs to be moved? And remember I need to be back on the ship in six hours to accept the delivery of supplies we have coming in.”

  “I know,” he said with a nod. He waved to the remaining boxes in view in the storage room. “She has a few furniture pieces in the other unit but we’ll worry about that later. We definitely don’t have time to wrestle them out of here before we leave.”

  Draven nodded, then signaled a couple of the others over to help him with the last of the boxes. Moving to one, Draven picked it up and took it out to the rental conveyance they had outside the storage bins. He set his box down, turned to take another, and set it in place.

  Once it was loaded up he moved to the control panel and programmed in the address of Sadie’s ancestral home. When it acknowledged the address, he set the conveyance off with its instructions. Turning, he headed back to where the others waited. They’d be going to meet the rental soon enough.

  * * * *

  He glared at Sadie when she handed him another box with directions on where it needed to go. “You know you’re damn lucky I like you, right?”

  She smiled at him, then pointed in the direction he was supposed to go.

  Damn woman was a bossy little thing. Shaking his head, he took the box up to the room the couple had decided would be used for storage until Sadie could go through everything she’d brought over. He set it down but stalled on his way back down to the main level. He needed to get out of there and back to port.

  If he went down there again, Sadie would task him with something else. Which would delay his departure greatly, and Bracken had given strict orders on who needed to be on the destroyer when they had anything brought on board.

  When Sadie moved into another room, Draven slipped down the stairs and sidled up next to Bracken. “Colonel, I have to leave. I’ll be cutting it close in getting back to the port as is.”

  “Go, I’ll handle my wife,” Bracken told him.

  “Yeah, good luck with that.” Grinning, he headed for the front door. Once he was outside he checked his timepiece and walked down the path to the front street and cursed. He would be cutting it way too close.

  Draven had dug out his communications piece and was about to put it in place in his ear, when a blur came around the bend and slammed into him. He dropped the piece and caught the tiny frame. The sound of his name in her breathy tone had him tightening his hold on her arms. “By the stars, Cecilia.” He’d have said more but the panicked look in her eyes stalled him out.

  “What’s wrong?” he asked softly, automatically pulling her in closer to his body.

  * * * *

  “Draven.” She said his name once more. Her hands squeezed his arms and when he pulled her closer to his body protectively she all but melted into his embrace. “So many things are wrong.” She choked on the sob that was working its way out of her body. “Please tell me that Bracken is here?” she begged, but instead of pulling away she clung tighter. Here he was, her rock. The man that had been meant for her since she was born and he was holding her instead of pushing her away as he typically did. “Please, don’t let go.” Ever. She didn’t know how she had survived all of this time without him and she knew that when he let her go she was going to fall apart again. He towered over her, his muscular arms holding her tightly. His eyes seemed to look into her very soul. He was deeply tanned and had only the slightest hint of blue color to his skin. His hair was of course military short but it begged her to run her fingers through it. His shoulders were wide and meant to carry the burdens. She could see the tiny lines at the corners of his eyes from the stress of the position that he held. He also had a scar that was on his jawline but to her it only made him more appealing. He was her haven. But it was a no-win situation and she knew it. Pressing her cheek to his chest, she listened to the cadence of his heart, inhaled the scent that was all Draven and would always calm her, and prayed to anyone that would listen that maybe, just maybe, this time he would keep her instead of pushing her away.

  “Your brother’s inside with Sadie,” he told her, the rumble of his deep voice a comforting sound under her ear. “I’m sorry, Cecilia, but I have to get to the port or we’ll be leaving without half our supplies. Let me get you inside and then I’ll head out.” She felt him stroking her hair gently, slowly.

  “Thank you.” He was running from her. Her heart felt as if it were crumbling inside of her body. Embarrassed by her assumptions, she felt her cheeks heat. “Thank you, Draven, and I’m sorry I got you all wet.” She began to brush off his jacket where she had cried. “I can get in on my own, I promise,” she told him and took a step back. “I appreciate your time. I really do.” She wanted to touch him again. She wanted to have him go in with her, but she knew he had things to do. He always had things to do. Everyone always had something to do and seemed to run from her as fast as they possibly could. She was simply not worth sticking around for and she knew that now. It was painfully clear.

  Reaching up, he gently rubbed a thumb under her eye. He looked back toward the house, then down at her with a frown. “If you go in there you’ll be put to work. Come with me to accept the shipment. When it’s on board we’ll come back here so you can talk to Bracken. But you really need to calm down or he’ll go insane and try to figure out who he needs to kill.”

  “It’s nothing he hasn’t seen with me before. Remember, to him I’m just a child in need of placating.” She hated that they all saw her like that, but su
ch was life. “I have to give him something.” Then she needed to disappear. Period. She couldn’t bring this trouble to her brother, not with his new marriage and all.

  “You can give it to him later. Come on, you can hang out on the ship for a little while and then we’ll come back. We could even stop at that sweet shop you like and get something to make you smile again.”

  Oh God, she couldn’t. Her family would find her by then, and Draven would be in trouble. She was so torn. She wanted to go with him. She needed to go with him, but would it cause him harm if she did? “You have no idea how much I want to go with you.” She tugged at her dress just a bit so that he wouldn’t see the top part of his name tattooed across her breast. The dress she wore was little more than straps across her body, with flesh-toned mesh holding them all together. It was considered today’s height of fashion but Cece hated it.

  “Talk to me, Cecilia. What’s got you fidgeting like this? Something is clearly wrong, little one.” He caught one of her hands to still it and sandwiched it between both of his. “Tell me what’s going on,” he said softly.

  Cece looked up at him, and an open and caring look on his face was her downfall. Before she even realized it, she began to spill her secrets. “I have a video diary that Bracken needs to see,” was how she started. “But more than that, they’ve sold me into marriage.” She bowed her head, her tears once more falling freely. “I didn’t even get to experience life and I’m being sold off so that my sister can have her husband and her lover both.”

  “The hell you say!” He used his hold to tug her back into his arms, pulling her up close to him. She could smell his scent winding around her fragile soul and leaned into the heat of the man. She wrapped her arms around him and felt the corded muscles at his back bunching and releasing in tension. “That is not going to happen, Cecilia. Not now, not ever. By the stars, I can’t believe they are sinking so damn low.” He rocked her in his arms. His hand smoothed her hair, his touch easing the tension from her neck as he did so. “Here’s what we’re going to do. You’re going to give Bracken the diary, and then you are coming to the ship with me. They can’t come on board, which means they can’t get anywhere near you. They’d need Bracken’s permission and you damn well know he’d never give it.”